Cubosome Processing

Cubosomes are nanoparticles but instead of the solid particles usually encountered, cubosomes are self-assembled liquid crystalline particles with a solid-like rheology that provides unique properties of practical interest. The discovery of cubosomes is a unique story and spans the fields of food science, differential geometry, biological membranes, and digestive processes. Despite the early realization of their potential, the manufacture of cubosomes on a large scale embodied difficulty because of their complex phase behaviour and viscous properties. This article reviews the development of several processes for practical manufacture and use of cubosomes in the consumer product industry, the intellectual property that resulted, and the eventual use of the patented technology.